Letters for Our Troops

March, 2009

Hello Again from East Texas,

All around Lufkin, there are sparse signs of spring emerging. Driving down a residential street, if we look carefully, we can see paper whites and daffodils in clusters on lawns or in prepared flower beds. At our house we have a few blue iris in bloom. Looking up, some trees are still bare, but some trees have beautiful branches of tiny pink flowers.

The birds are starting to come back and some are looking for places to build nests.

At churches, the Lent season has begun which will bring Easter.

We think about our troops and all you do and how much you have sacrificed for us. We pray for you every day, hope you are safe and that you will be home again soon.

We send you our special blessings,

Keith & Martha Sutton

This isn't all that special - just a simple letter - to which I add comic strips top and bottom. In our area, our American Legion Auxiliary boxes personal items, candies, special things that troops miss from home. They do this every month, month after month and are currently sending about 85 boxes to troops from our area.

A young person away from home, serving our country, opening one of these boxes, knows people back home are thinking about them and praying for their safety and their safe return home.

We have a granddaughter in the Army serving in South Korea and being away from her friends and family is a sacrifice she is making for her country. We have more young people from our church who are serving. Joyfully, one, a Marine, is back on American soil after serving three tours in Iraq. He signed up coming out of high school and in May, his commitment will be fulfilled. He's coming home this week for a three-week leave. Is he ever in for lots of hugs!

You may have a member of your family serving in the forces, or know someone who has made this sacrifice to keep us safe.

Its just a little thing that we do to contribute 85 letters each month. Some teachers have their students write letters in their classes, many people hand write letters every month. Many contribute money for postage, money for the contents; some contribute some of the contents. Some people get together to put the boxes together and ready to mail.

If you go to http://www.ala113lufkin.org or call Lucy Burris at 936-676-9148 in our area, you can learn more. If you are in another area, I think you will find links to guide you. If you google for information for your own area, you will find people just waiting to receive your contributions with open arms!

God Bless our Troops and we do pray for their safe return!